U.S. patent application number 11/131124 was filed with the patent office on 2005-12-29 for monitoring system for induction sealer.
Invention is credited to Herzog, Kenneth J..
Application Number | 20050284102 11/131124 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35504030 |
Filed Date | 2005-12-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050284102 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Herzog, Kenneth J. |
December 29, 2005 |
Monitoring system for induction sealer
Abstract
An induction foil cap sealer system includes a monitoring system
that comprises a plurality of sensors disposed throughout the
sealer system, each sensor monitoring a respective condition
related to the sealing operation. A controller is configured to
receive from the sensors data representing the monitored conditions
and to process this data, determining operating information related
to the sealing operation and possibly fault conditions with the
sealing operation. The controller is also configured to communicate
with a display system and to cause this display system to activate
one or more peripheral devices in order to report to a system
operator, for example, the determined operating information and/or
fault conditions related to the monitored conditions. In reaction
to a detected fault condition, the controller may also be
configured to shutdown the cap sealer system and/or to remove work
pieces that the controller has determined contain a faulty
condition.
Inventors: |
Herzog, Kenneth J.;
(Riverhead, NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OSTROLENK FABER GERB & SOFFEN
1180 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS
NEW YORK
NY
100368403
|
Family ID: |
35504030 |
Appl. No.: |
11/131124 |
Filed: |
May 17, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60572027 |
May 17, 2004 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/75 ;
53/329.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29C 66/91411 20130101;
B29C 66/944 20130101; B29C 66/949 20130101; B29C 66/53461 20130101;
B29C 66/91431 20130101; B29C 66/934 20130101; B29C 66/91311
20130101; B29C 66/961 20130101; B29C 65/3644 20130101; B29C
66/91315 20130101; B29C 66/72321 20130101; B29C 65/368 20130101;
B29C 66/91221 20130101; B29C 65/3656 20130101; B29C 66/932
20130101; B29C 66/91651 20130101; B29C 66/836 20130101; B29C
66/24221 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
053/075 ;
053/329.2 |
International
Class: |
B67B 003/26 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An automated capping system that performs a sealing operation to
install foil seals on work pieces comprising: a cap sealer to apply
energy for sealing a foil seal onto a work piece; and a plurality
of sensors each for monitoring a respective condition related to
said sealing operation of said system, said conditions including at
least a temperature of a work piece after application of energy,
and a speed of said work pieces passing said cap sealer.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least another
condition is position of a cap on a work piece prior to application
of energy.
3. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least another
condition is a missing foil on a work piece prior to application of
energy.
4. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least another
condition is work piece stalling.
5. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least another
condition is a power drawn by said cap sealer.
6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a work piece
counter.
7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a display
system to report data relating to said conditions.
8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said display system
includes a text display system to visually report data representing
said conditions.
9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said display system
further includes a plurality of LEDs to visually report data
representing said conditions
10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said plurality of LEDs
includes a set of LEDS to report power drawn by said cap
sealer.
11. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a
controller configured to receive from said sensors data
representing said conditions and for determining a fault condition
based on a pre-stored parameter.
12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said pre-stored
parameter relates to the temperature of said work piece after
application of energy.
13. The system according to claim 11, wherein said pre-stored
parameter relates to the speed of said work pieces passing said cap
sealer.
14. The system according to claim 11, wherein said pre-stored
parameter relates to an upper limit of determined fault
conditions.
15. The system according to claim 11, wherein said controller is
configurable to reject a work piece based on a fault condition.
16. The system according to claim 11, wherein said controller is
configurable to activate a visual indicator in response to a fault
condition.
17. The system according to claim 11, wherein said controller is
configurable to activate an audio indicator in response to a fault
condition.
18. The system according to claim 11, wherein said controller is
configurable to stop said sealing operation in response to a fault
condition.
19. An automated capping system that performs a sealing operation
to install foil seals on work pieces comprising: a cap sealer to
apply energy for sealing a foil seal onto a work piece; and a
plurality of sensors each for monitoring a respective condition
related to said sealing operation of said system, said plurality of
sensors including at least a temperature sensor for monitoring a
temperature of a work piece after application of energy to the work
piece, and a speed sensor for monitoring a speed of said work
pieces passing said cap sealer.
20. The system according to claim 19, wherein at least another of
said plurality of sensors is either a laser emitter-receiver or a
photo eye for monitoring a cap position of a work piece prior to
application of energy.
21. The system according to claim 19, wherein at least another of
said plurality of sensors is a foil detector for monitoring a
missing foil on a work piece prior to application of energy.
22. The system according to claim 19, wherein at least another of
said plurality of sensors is a photo eye for monitoring a stalled
work piece under said cap sealer.
23. The system according to claim 19, wherein at least another of
said plurality of sensors is a current sensor for monitoring a
power drawn by said cap sealer.
24. The system according to claim 19, wherein at least another of
said plurality of sensors is a photo eye for detecting work pieces
passing said cap sealer.
25. The system according to claim 19, further comprising a display
system to report data relating to said conditions.
26. The system according to claim 25, wherein said display system
includes a text display system to visually report data representing
said conditions.
27. The system according to claim 26, wherein said display system
further includes a plurality of LEDs to visually report data
representing said conditions.
28. The system according to claim 27, wherein said plurality of
LEDs includes a set of LEDS to report power drawn by said cap
sealer.
29. The system according to claim 19, further comprising a
controller and an electronic memory, wherein said controller is
configured to receive from said sensors data representing said
conditions and to determine a fault condition based on a pre-stored
parameter stored in said memory.
30. The system according to claim 29, wherein said pre-stored
parameter relates to the temperature of said work piece after
application of energy.
31. The system according to claim 29, wherein said pre-stored
parameter relates to the speed of said work pieces.
32. The system according to claim 29, wherein said pre-stored
parameter relates to an upper limit of determined fault
conditions.
33. The system according to claim 29, further comprising a work
piece reject system, wherein said controller is configurable to
activate said work piece reject system in response to a fault
condition.
34. The system according to claim 29, further comprising a light
wherein said controller is configurable to operate said light in
response to a fault condition.
35. The system according to claim 29, further comprising an audio
alarm wherein said controller is configurable to operate said audio
alarm in response to a fault condition.
36. The system according to claim 29, further comprising a shut-off
relay to shutdown said cap sealer, wherein said controller is
configurable to activate said shut-off relay in response to a fault
condition.
37. The system according to claim 29, further comprising at least
one set of one or more pre-stored parameters, each set being stored
in said memory as a recipe, wherein said controller is configurable
to determine a fault condition based on a selected recipe.
38. The system according to claim 19, further comprising a
temperature sensor and a safety cover sensor for monitoring the
temperature of said cap sealer and for monitoring the removal of a
safety cover from said cap sealer.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is based on and claims priority to U.S.
Provisional Application No. 60/572,027, filed on May 17, 2004, by
Kenneth J. Herzog, entitled, "A BAR GRAPH DISPLAY, AN IR
THERMOMETER, AND A SPEED SENSOR WHICH CAN BE USED INDIVIDUALLY OR
IN COMBINATION WITH AN INDUCTION SEALER," the contents of which are
herein incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to induction foil cap sealers
and more particularly, to an induction foil cap sealer with a
monitoring system for monitoring the sealing operation.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] Induction foil cap sealers are well known. Referring to FIG.
1, a prior art induction foil cap sealer includes induction head
100 that includes a plurality of field coils 120. In operation,
field coils 120 receive an electrical current that causes the
development of magnetic fields that project away from field coils
120. The projected magnetic fields are schematically shown as
circular lines surrounding field coils 120 for illustration
purposes only. The magnetic fields projecting from field coils 120
are used for sealing a cap onto an opening of a bottle in the
following manner.
[0006] Cap 104 is mechanically coupled to the opening of bottle 102
and placed under induction head 100. Due to the mechanical coupling
between cap 104 and bottle 102, metallic foil 106, which is
received in cap 104, is pressed between the end of cap 104 and the
sealing edge of the opening of bottle 102. Included inside cap 104
is polymer sealing film 112, which is interposed between metallic
foil 106 and the opening of bottle 102. Optionally, wax layer 108
and pulp board liner 110 are also included in cap 102 and
sandwiched between metallic foil 106 and the closed end of cap
104.
[0007] To effect the seal, magnetic fields that project from field
coils 120 permeate cap 104 and cause foil 106 to heat up. The heat
so generated causes polymer sealing film 112 to melt and thus seal
metallic foil 106 to the opening of bottle 102. As a result, a
hermetic seal between metallic foil 106 and bottle 102 is obtained
which can survive the removal of cap 104. If optional wax layer 108
is used, the generated heat melts wax layer 108 further enhancing
the hermetic effect.
[0008] Induction head 100 may assume any number of shapes depending
on the type of cap used. FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate three examples of
induction heads.
[0009] Referring to FIG. 3, which illustrates a top down view of an
example induction foil cap sealer system 130, in a typical
induction sealing operation, a cap 104 and metallic foil 106 are
mechanically coupled to each of a series of bottles 102 (this
operation is not shown in the Figure) and the bottles are
transported on a conveyor belt 134 under an induction head 100.
Induction head 100 is included as part of induction sealer 132 and
is positioned over conveyor belt 134. As the bottles are
transported on the conveyor belt under the induction head, the
bottles are subjected to induction heating as described above,
thereby forming a hermetic seal.
[0010] In general, before sealed bottles leave a manufacturer's
plant, it is commercially important that a hermetic seal of good
quality be formed on each bottle. For example, when the content of
a container is medicine, a misapplied foil 106 may cause a consumer
to suspect product tampering, thereby returning the product to the
manufacturer and affecting manufacturer costs. Numerous factors can
affect the quality of a hermetic seal. For example, a bottle may be
missing foil 106, thereby never forming a hermetic seal or a cap
may be misapplied when mechanically coupled to a bottle (e.g.,
skewed or not tightened), thereby causing the metallic foil to not
completely contact and seal to the bottle opening. Similarly, a
hermetic seal may be incorrectly formed as a result of the bottle
being under or over heated, for example. Under or over heating may
be the result of conveyor belt 134 moving too slow or too fast or
insufficient power being supplied to induction head 100. Notably, a
system operator can constantly oversee the sealing operation of
foil cap sealer system 130 and physically inspect each bottle, all
in an attempt to ensure that the system is properly operating and
that quality hermetic seals are being formed. However, this is
labor intensive and costly and it may be difficult for an operator
to even detect a problem when it occurs.
[0011] In addition, because the sealing operation is a mechanical
and automated process, system failures can occur. For example,
bottles can stall under the induction head due to a conveyor belt
stopping or bottles jamming and as a result, become overheated.
Similarly, the system may overheat. Again, a system operator can
constantly oversee the sealing operation, but this is costly.
[0012] Accordingly, it is desirable to have an automated monitoring
system to monitor conditions related to the sealing and system
operation of a foil cap sealer system so as to notify an operator
of possible problems and to assist that operator in diagnosing the
problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] According to the present invention, a monitoring system
monitors various conditions related to the sealing operation of an
induction foil cap sealer system and conveys data related to these
conditions to a system operator. Specifically, a monitoring system
of the present invention comprises a plurality of sensors disposed
throughout an induction foil cap sealer system, which system
includes a cap sealer unit with an induction head and a conveyor
belt for moving work pieces under the induction head. Each sensor
monitors a respective condition related to the sealing operation of
the cap sealer system. A controller of the monitoring system is
configured to receive from the sensors data representing the
respective monitored conditions and to process this data in order
to determine operating information related to the sealing operation
and to determine possible fault conditions with the sealing
operation. The monitoring system of the present invention also
comprises a display system that controls one or more peripheral
devices including, for example, a user interface with LEDs and a
user display, an audio signal generator, an optical signal
generator, or any combination thereof. The controller is configured
to communicate with this display system and to cause this display
system to report to a system operator through the peripheral
devices the determined operating information and/or fault
conditions related to the monitored conditions.
[0014] According to one aspect of the present invention, the
monitoring system may include a work piece counter sensor that
detects work pieces. Based on data provided by this sensor, the
controller detects/counts the number of work pieces being processed
by the cap sealer system and may convey this count and related
information to the display system for display. In the preferred
embodiment of the present invention, the work piece counter sensor
is installed at a position prior to induction heating and is a
photo eye that detects a reflection from passing work pieces.
[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, the
monitoring system may include a missing foil sensor that detects
the presence, or lack thereof, of a metallic foil on passing work
pieces. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
missing foil sensor is a foil detector positioned prior to
induction heating and coincident with the above mentioned photo
eye. Through data signals from each of these sensors, the
controller determines whether a work piece has a metallic foil and
registers a fault condition when the foil is missing. Upon
registering a fault, the controller may be configured to cause the
display system to activate one or more peripheral devices to
indicate the presence of the fault. Preferably, the controller is
also configured to cause a rejecter, such as a pneumatic device, to
activate in order to remove the work piece from the cap sealer
system or alternatively, to cause the induction head and possibly
the conveyor belt to shutdown.
[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, the
monitoring system may include a stalled bottle sensor that detects
whether work pieces have stopped/jammed (i.e., stalled) under the
induction head and are being overheated. In the preferred
embodiment of the present invention, the stalled bottle sensor is a
photo eye directed under the induction head that detects any work
pieces under the head. The controller uses data signals from this
photo eye in combination with data signals from the work piece
counter photo eye to detect a stalled fault condition. In
particular, if the controller determines that work pieces are under
the induction head (as detected by the photo eye directed under the
induction head) but that the number of work pieces is not
incrementing (as detected by the work piece counter photo eye), the
controller registers a stalled fault condition. Upon registering
the fault, the controller may be configured to cause the display
system to activate one or more peripheral devices to indicate the
presence of the fault and is preferably configured to cause the
induction head and possibly the conveyor belt to shutdown.
[0017] According to another aspect of the present invention, the
monitoring system may include a high/skewed cap sensor that detects
whether a work piece has a skewed cap or a cap not completely
tightened. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention,
the high/skewed cap sensor is positioned prior to induction
heating. As such, this sensor detects, for example, a metallic foil
that may not be in good contact with the opening of a work piece,
thereby affecting the formation of a quality hermetic seal.
Preferably, this sensor is either a laser sensor with an emitter
and receiver or a photo eye. Assuming the use of a laser sensor, a
laser beam between the emitter and receiver is directed across the
path of passing work pieces and is positioned above properly
applied caps. Whenever a passing work piece breaks the laser beam,
the receiver signals the controller, which then registers a
high/skewed cap fault condition. Upon registering the fault, the
controller may cause the display system to activate one or more
peripheral devices. Preferably, the controller also activates a
rejecter to remove the work piece from the cap sealer system or
alternatively, causes the induction head and possibly the conveyor
belt to shutdown.
[0018] According to another aspect of the present invention, the
monitoring system may include a work piece temperature sensor,
preferably an infrared sensor, that senses the temperature of a
work piece after the work piece has been heated under the induction
head, thereby enabling the monitoring system to determine whether a
foil has been properly sealed to a work piece. In the preferred
embodiment of the present invention, each time this temperature
sensor acquires temperature information from a work piece, the
controller compares the acquired temperature to a low threshold
temperature value and to a high threshold temperature value. If the
acquired temperature is either below the low threshold temperature
value or above the high threshold temperature value, the controller
determines that a proper seal has not been obtained and a fault
condition is registered. Again, the controller may be configured to
cause the display system to activate one or more peripheral devices
and preferably, is also configured to activate a rejecter to remove
the work piece from the cap sealer system or to cause the induction
head and possibly the conveyor belt to shutdown.
[0019] According to another aspect of the present invention, the
monitoring system may include a work piece speed sensor (e.g., an
optical encoder) that detects the speed of the conveyor belt,
thereby enabling the monitor system to determine whether work
pieces on the conveyor belt are receiving optimum exposure to the
induction heating in order to obtain a good seal quality. Here, the
controller receives information from the speed sensor, determines
from the information the speed of the conveyor belt, and compares
this speed to a desired speed. If the controller determines that
the speed is outside a desired range, it registers a fault
condition and possibly notifies an operator through the display
system.
[0020] According to another aspect of the present invention, the
monitoring system may include a power sensor for monitoring the
power consumed by the induction head. In the preferred embodiment
of the invention, the power sensor is a current sensor that detects
the current supplied to the induction head, the detected current
being proportional to the power supplied to the induction head.
According to one aspect of the invention, the controller uses the
detected current from the current detector to visually display
through the display system a representation of the power supplied
to the induction head. In this way, a system operator can visually
monitor the power consumption of the induction head and can take
appropriate action when the power drawn gets close to the maximum
power allowed under a selected power setting.
[0021] According to another aspect of the present invention, the
monitoring system may also include sensors directed at the cap
sealer system itself. For example, the monitoring system may
include one or more temperature sensors that sense the temperature
of the induction head and/or the internal temperature of the cap
sealer system. Through these sensors, the controller determines
when operating temperatures have exceeded normal operating
temperatures, registering a fault condition. The monitoring system
may also include sensors for detecting when safety guards and
covers are removed. Again, whenever the controller detects a fault
related to any of these monitored conditions, it may be configured
to cause the display system to activate one or more peripheral
devices and preferably, is also configured to cause the foil cap
sealer system to shutdown.
[0022] According to a further aspect the present invention, in
addition to notifying a system operator of individual fault
conditions, the controller may also keep cumulative counts of each
fault condition or combinations of different fault conditions.
Here, a system operator may configure the monitoring system to
notify the operator when any of these cumulative faults reaches a
specified value. Upon reaching such a value, the controller may
cause the display system to active one or more peripheral devices
to notify the operator.
[0023] According to a still further aspect of the present
invention, the controller uses one or more pre-stored parameters
when processing data received from the sensors. Notably, these
parameters may be specific to the particular work pieces being
sealed and thereby need to be set accordingly. In the preferred
embodiment of the present invention, a system operator enters
several sets of pre-stored parameters, each set for a different
work piece type, and stores each set of parameters as "recipes" in
a memory storage device of the monitoring system. Based on the
particular work pieces being sealed, a system operator selects the
corresponding recipe prior to the start of the sealing
operation.
[0024] Other features and benefits of the present invention will
become apparent from the following description of the invention
which refers to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates cap foil sealing by an
induction head according to the prior art.
[0026] FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C schematically illustrate a plurality of
induction heads according to the prior art.
[0027] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a top plan view of an
induction foil cap sealer system according to the prior art.
[0028] FIG. 4A schematically illustrates a top plan view of an
induction foil cap sealer system with a monitoring system that
comprises a plurality of sensors according to the present
invention.
[0029] FIG. 4B schematically illustrates a front plan view of the
induction foil cap sealer system illustrated by FIG. 4A.
[0030] FIG. 5A illustrates a high level functional architecture of
a monitoring system for an induction foil cap sealer system
according to the present invention.
[0031] FIG. 5B illustrates an example of a user interface as used
in a monitoring system of the present invention.
[0032] FIG. 6A schematically illustrates a side plan view of a
photo eye sensor in an induction foil cap sealer system according
to the present invention.
[0033] FIG. 6B schematically illustrates a top plan view of FIG.
6A.
[0034] FIG. 7A schematically illustrates a side plan view of a
photo eye sensor and foil detector, and the relative positioning
thereof, in an induction foil cap sealer system according to the
present invention.
[0035] FIG. 7B schematically illustrates a top plan view of the
arrangement illustrated by FIG. 7A.
[0036] FIG. 7C schematically illustrates a front plan view of the
arrangement illustrated by FIG. 7A.
[0037] FIG. 8 schematically illustrates a top plan view of another
photo eye sensor, and the positioning thereof, in an induction foil
cap sealer system according to the present invention.
[0038] FIG. 9A schematically illustrates a side plan view of a
laser emitter and receiver in an induction foil cap sealer system
according to the present invention.
[0039] FIG. 9B schematically illustrates a top plan view of FIG.
9A.
[0040] FIG. 10 illustrates a functional architecture of a
monitoring system for an induction foil cap sealer system according
to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0041] Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, there is illustrated an
induction foil cap sealer system 400 according to an embodiment of
the present invention with FIG. 4A showing a top plan view of the
system and FIG. 4B showing a front plan view. System 400 includes
an induction cap sealer unit 402 with an induction head 404.
Induction head 404 may resemble any of the example induction heads
illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B, and 2C, for example. Induction head
404 is preferably positioned over a conveyor belt 406 that
transports work pieces (e.g., containers such as bottle 102) under
induction head 404. System 400 of the present invention also
includes monitoring system 500, a high level functional
architecture of which is represented in FIG. 5A. During the sealing
operation, work pieces are transported on conveyor belt 406, in
direction 408, and under induction head 404 where the work pieces
are subjected to induction heating in a conventional manner.
Conveyor belt 406 then continues to carry the work pieces beyond
cap sealer unit 402 where the pieces subsequently exit system 400.
Significantly and according to the present invention, monitoring
system 500 monitors various conditions related to the sealing
operation and conveys data related to these conditions to a system
operator.
[0042] More specifically, monitoring system 500 of the present
invention comprises a plurality of sensors 506-522 disposed along
conveyor belt 406 and within induction cap sealer unit 402, each
sensor monitoring a respective condition related to the sealing
operation of induction foil cap sealer system 400. As described
below, these conditions may relate to the work pieces themselves or
to the cap sealer unit 402/conveyor belt 406. Sensors 506-522 may
include a work piece counter 506, a missing foil sensor 508, a
stalled bottle sensor 510, a high/skewed cap sensor 512, a work
piece temperature sensor 514, a work piece speed sensor 516, a
power sensor 518, cap sealer unit heat sensors 520, and cap sealer
unit guard sensors 522. Notably, those skilled in the art will
recognize that monitoring system 500 does not need to include each
of the sensors 506-522 and will also recognize that other sensors
may be incorporated into monitoring system 500.
[0043] Monitoring system 500 also comprises controller 502 situated
preferably within induction cap sealer unit 402. Controller 502 is
configured to receive from the sensors data representing the
monitored conditions and to process this data, determining
operating information/statistics related to the sealing operation
and possibly fault conditions with the sealing operation.
Controller 502 is also configured to communicate with a display
system 504 and to cause this display system to report to a system
operator, for example, fault conditions and other operating
information related to the monitored conditions. Notably,
controller 502 may be an off-the-shelf general-purpose programmable
microprocessor/microcomputer that is configurable and that has been
configured to perform the functions as described herein. Controller
502 may also be a general-purpose computer/PC. In addition, while
controller 502 is described as being a single processor/computer,
the functionality of controller 502 may be implemented as one or
more processors/computers, with each sensor communicating with
possibly one or more of these processors/computers, and with the
capabilities of each processor/computer possibly differing.
[0044] Display system 504 may comprise a user interface 550, an
audio signal generator 540 (e.g., alarm), an optical signal
generator 542 (e.g., a strobe light), or any combination thereof.
Referring to FIG. 5B, an example user interface 550 according to
the present invention may comprise user display 552, such as an
LCD, a plurality of LEDs 554, 556, and 558, and a keypad 560 for
allowing a system operator to control cap sealer system 400 and
monitoring system 500. Notably, through sensors 506-522 and display
system 504, monitoring system 500 of the present invention monitors
and reports possible fault conditions with the sealing operation of
foil cap sealer system 400 and thereafter enables an operator to
examine data related to various conditions reported by the sensors
in order to determine a possible cause(s) for the faults.
[0045] Reference will now be made to each of sensors 506-522.
Again, sensors 506-522 are only examples of possible sensors and
system 500 need not include each of these sensors and may include
other sensors, without deviating from the present invention. In
addition, while specific examples of each of sensors 506-522 are
described below, any sensor known in the art capable of sensing the
described condition can be used.
[0046] Beginning with work piece counter 506, this sensor detects
each work piece as it moves on conveyor belt 406 and in this way,
enables monitoring system 500 to both detect work pieces and to
count the number of work pieces passing under cap sealer unit 402.
More specifically, in the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, work piece counter 506 is a photo eye that detects a
reflection from each work piece as it passes on conveyor belt 406.
Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B and to FIGS. 6A and 6B, photo eye 506
is preferably mounted along conveyor belt 406 upstream from cap
sealer unit 402 and is positioned such that the photo eye is
directed across the conveyor belt at the side of each passing work
piece. Controller 502 is configured to receive data generated by
photo eye 506, which is connected by wire 506a to a connector
manifold on cap sealer unit 402, and in turn to controller 502
using any mechanism known in the art. As a work piece passes photo
eye 506, the eye detects a reflection from the work piece and sends
a data signal to controller 502 until the work piece passes. In the
preferred embodiment of the present invention, photo eye 506 is
configured to only detect a work piece when induction head 404 is
on.
[0047] Notably, upon receiving a signal from photo eye 506,
controller 502 may increment an internal counter (e.g., a work
piece counter) by one, thereby counting the number of work pieces
passing under cap sealer unit 402. Controller 502 may in turn
forward this count to display system 504 such that the display
system displays the count on visual display 552, for example.
Controller 502 may also use the count to determine the number of
work pieces processed per unit of time and again display this data
on visual display 552. Controller 502 may also compare the count to
a "batch-preset" value, which is a pre-stored parameter entered by
an operator, for example. Specifically, according to an aspect of
the present invention, a system operator can use keypad 560 or the
like, for example, to enter pre-stored parameters for subsequent
use by controller 502. Accordingly, the system operator may enter a
"batch-preset" value, which represents the number of work pieces
that should be sealed. As an example, upon counting "batch-preset"
work pieces, the controller may be configured to cause the display
controller to display a message (e.g., "ALERT-BATCH COUNT REACHED")
on visual display 552 indicating that the batch is complete.
[0048] In addition to incrementing counters, etc. in response to
the data signal from photo eye 506, controller 502 may also be
configured to cause display controller 504 to illuminate/flash an
LED, such as LED 554b, thereby indicating that another work piece
has been processed.
[0049] To mount photo eye 506 to foil cap sealer system 400, a
sensor mounting bar 410 is preferably connected to cap sealer unit
402 such that bar 410 extends above and along conveyor belt 406, as
illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B. Photo eye 506 is then connected to
sensor mounting bar 410 preferably using a mount assembly 506b that
allows the photo eye to be positioned along sensor mounting bar 410
and that allows the vertical and horizontal positions of the photo
eye to be adjusted.
[0050] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, photo
eye 506 is vertically positioned such that the photo eye is the
same height as the center of the work piece neck, as illustrated in
FIG. 6A, and is horizontally positioned such that the photo eye is
approximately 1/2" from the side of the work piece neck.
Preferably, photo eye 506 includes a gain (sensitivity) adjustment
to account for clear and flat-black work pieces that may not
reflect light well and further includes an integral LED that
illuminates when a work piece is detected. Assuming such a gain
adjustment is present, a work piece is placed in front of the photo
eye and the gain adjustment configured until the integral LED
illuminates while the work piece is in front of the eye and
goes-out when the work piece is removed. Preferably, photo eye 506
is positioned and the gain adjustment set such that the photo eye
detects a work piece both when the work piece contains a cap and
when the work piece does not contain a cap. In this way, the photo
eye can also be used to detect whether a work piece is missing a
cap, as described below.
[0051] Referring now to missing foil sensor 508, this sensor
detects the presence, or lack thereof, of a metallic foil under the
cap of a work piece as the work piece moves on conveyor belt 406
and in this way, enables monitoring system 500 to monitor
missing-foil fault conditions. More specifically, in the preferred
embodiment of the present invention, missing foil sensor 508 is a
foil detector, as is known in the art, that works in conjunction
with photo eye 506. Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B and to FIGS. 7A-7C
(FIG. 7A, in particular, showing an expanded view of photo eye 506
and foil detector 508 from the intake end of system 400), foil
detector 508 is preferably mounted along conveyor belt 406 upstream
from cap sealer unit 402 and coincident with photo eye 506. In
addition, foil detector 508 is preferably positioned such that the
detector is directed downward over conveyor belt 406 so that the
cap of each passing work piece moves directly under the foil
detector. Controller 502 is configured to receive data generated by
foil detector 508, which is connected by wire 508a to the connector
manifold on cap sealer unit 402 and in turn to controller 502. As a
work piece passes under foil detector 508, if the detector senses a
metallic foil it sends a data signal to controller 502 until the
work piece passes. Accordingly, if controller 502 receives a signal
from both photo eye 506 (thereby indicating the presence of a work
piece) and foil detector 508, the controller registers that the
work piece contains a metallic foil. On the contrary, if controller
502 receives a data signal from photo eye 506, indicating the
presence of a work piece, but does not receive a signal from foil
detector 508, the controller registers that the work piece does not
contain a foil, thereby noting a fault condition. Notably, through
the combination of foil detector 508 and photo eye 506, monitoring
system 500 can also detect work pieces without caps since the cap
and foil are typically applied to a work piece as a single
unit.
[0052] Upon registering that a work piece contains a metallic foil,
controller 502 may be configured to cause display system 504 to
illuminate/flash an LED, such as LED 554a, thereby indicating that
the work piece has a foil liner. Alternatively, upon registering a
fault condition (i.e., lack of a metallic foil liner or no cap),
controller 502 may be configured to cause display system 510 to
activate signal generator 540 and/or optical signal generator 542,
to flash a fault LED, such as LED 556a, to display a text message
(e.g., "ALERT-MISSING FOIL") on visual display 552, or some
combination thereof, thereby notifying a system operator of the
fault condition. Preferably, controller 502 is also configured to
cause a fault signal to be generated to a rejecter 412, as seen in
FIGS. 4A and 4B, which may be a pneumatic arm positioned relative
to foil detector 508. In this way, when controller 502 determines a
work piece has no metallic foil, the controller can cause the work
piece to be pushed off conveyor belt 406 and onto a rejecter table
412a. As an alternative to rejecter 412, controller 502 preferably
is configured to cause a fault signal to be generated to a shut-off
relay 416, for example, thereby shutting off induction head 404 and
possibly conveyor belt 406.
[0053] In addition, upon registering a fault condition, controller
502 may increment one or more internal counters, such as a counter
that maintains the number of detected work pieces without metallic
foils (e.g., a "fault-no-foil" counter) and/or a generic counter
that maintains the number of faults detected by monitoring system
500 (e.g., a "generic-fault" counter). In addition to displaying
these counts through display system 504, controller 502 may also
notify a system operator when a specified number of missing-foil
faults or generic-faults have been detected. Specifically,
according to an aspect of the present invention, a system operator
may enter as a pre-stored parameter an upper limit on detected
missing-foil faults and/or an upper limit on detected
generic-faults for the present batch of work pieces. When
controller 502 detects the specified number of missing-foil faults,
it may be configured to cause display system 504 to display a text
message (e.g., "CONSECUTIVE FAULTS-MISSING FOIL") on visual display
552 and flash LED 556a, for example. Similarly, when controller 502
detects the specified number of generic-faults, it may be
configured to cause display system 504 to display a text message
such as "ALERT EXCESS FAULT" on visual display 552 and flash LED
556a.
[0054] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, foil
detector 508 is connected to sensor mounting bar 410 using a mount
assembly 508b that allows the foil detector to be positioned along
the mounting bar and that also allows the vertical and horizontal
positions of the foil detector to be adjusted. Preferably, foil
detector 508 is horizontally positioned such that the caps/metallic
foils of passing work pieces move directly under the foil detector
and is vertically positioned such that the bottom of the foil
detector is even or level with the bottom of the inner tunnel of
induction head 404.
[0055] In order to prevent monitoring system 500 from falsely
detecting missing metallic foils, foil detector 508 is preferably
mounted upstream from photo eye 506, as illustrated in FIGS. 7B and
7C, such that foil detector 508 senses the metallic foil of a work
piece just prior to photo eye 506 detecting the work piece. In
order to overlap the signals generated by the two sensors,
monitoring system 500 preferably maintains a "foil-timer" as a
pre-stored parameter (an operator can pre-configure the foil timer
using keypad 560, for example). Specifically, as indicated above,
as a work piece leaves foil detector 508, the detector stops
sending a signal to controller 502. The foil-timer causes
monitoring system 500 to extend or lengthen the assertion of the
signal from the foil detector once the work piece leaves the
detector. Preferably, the foil-timer, which can be set at
increments of 0.10 seconds for example, is set such that the signal
from foil detector 508 remains asserted for a short period of time
until after photo eye 506 stops generating a signal to controller
502. In this way, the two signals coincide at controller 502,
thereby prevent monitoring system 500 from falsely detecting
missing metallic foils.
[0056] As described above, controller 502 can be configured to
cause LEDs 554b and 554a to illuminate while receiving a data
signal from photo eye 506 and foil detector 508, respectively. As
such, in a method according to the present invention, a system
operator can configure the foil-timer such that as a bottle moves
on conveyor belt 406, LED 554a first illuminates and remains on,
LED 554b then illuminates for a short time and then extinguishes,
and LED 554a thereafter remains illuminated for a short time and
then also extinguishes.
[0057] Referring now to stalled bottle sensor 510, this sensor
detects whether work pieces are backed-up under induction head 404
and/or if conveyor belt 406 is stopped with one or more work pieces
under induction head 404 and in this way, enables monitoring system
500 to monitor a stalled fault condition that may cause work pieces
to overheat under head 404. More specifically, in the preferred
embodiment of the present invention, stalled bottle sensor 510 is a
photo eye that works in conjunction with photo eye 506. Referring
to FIG. 4B and to FIG. 8 (which shows a top plan view of induction
cap sealer unit 402 and induction head 404, both shown in dotted
line), photo eye 510 is preferably mounted at the underside and
discharge end of cap sealer unit 402 and is positioned such that
the photo eye is directed at an angular/diagonal direction across
conveyor belt 406 such that the photo eye detects any work pieces
under induction head 404. Controller 502 is configured to receive
data generated by photo eye 510, which is connected by wire 510a to
the connector manifold on cap sealer unit 402 and in turn to
controller 502. As work pieces pass through the sight of photo eye
510, the photo eye detects reflections from the work pieces and
sends a data signal to controller 502 until no work pieces are
detected.
[0058] According to the present invention, if controller 502
detects, for example, both a change in the work-piece-counter
(signifying that photo eye 506 is detecting the passing of work
pieces) while also receiving a data signal from photo eye 510
(signifying that one or more work pieces are under induction head
404), the controller registers that no stalled condition has
occurred. On the contrary, if controller 502 detects no change in
the work-piece-counter while receiving a data signal from photo eye
510, the controller registers a fault condition related to stalled
work pieces being under induction head 404. More specifically, in
the preferred embodiment of the present invention, when controller
502 receives a data signal from photo eye 510, controller 502
starts a "stalled-timer" (an operator can configure the
stalled-timer, at increments of 0.10 seconds for example, as a
pre-stored parameter using keypad 560, for example). If this timer
expires before controller 502 detects a change in the
work-piece-counter, the controller registers the fault condition.
In general, the stalled-timer is set to a value representing the
time between photo eye 510 first detecting a work piece and photo
eye 506 then detecting another work piece, plus 1/2 second.
Notably, the stalled-timer value must be adjusted based on the
speed of convey belt 406.
[0059] In general, when controller 502 receives a data signal from
photo eye 510, controller 502 may be configured to cause display
controller 504 to illuminate/flash an LED, such as LED 554c,
thereby indicating that the photo eye is detecting a work piece(s).
Upon registering a "stalled" fault condition, controller 502 may be
configured to cause display system 510 to activate signal generator
540 and/or optical signal generator 542, to flash the fault LED
556a, to display a text message (e.g., "ALERT-STALLED BOTTLE") on
visual display 552, or some combination thereof, thereby notifying
a system operator of the fault condition. Preferably, controller
502 is also configured to cause a fault signal to be generated to
shut-off relay 416, thereby shutting off induction head 404 and
possibly conveyor belt 406.
[0060] In addition, upon registering a stalled fault condition,
controller 502 may increment a "fault-stalled-bottle" counter
and/or the "generic-fault" counter, which was described above.
Again, in addition to displaying the counter values, according to
the present invention a system operator may provide as a pre-stored
parameter an upper limit of detected "stalled" faults. When
controller 502 detects the specified number of faults, it may be
configured to cause display system 504 to display a text message
(e.g., "CONSECUTIVE FAULTS-STALLED BOTTLE") on visual display 552
and flash LED 556a, for example.
[0061] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, photo
eye 510 is mounted at the underside and discharge end of cap sealer
unit 402 using a mount assembly 510b that allows the vertical
position of the photo eye to be adjusted and that allows the
angular direction of the photo eye to be adjusted. Preferably,
photo eye 510 is positioned such that the photo eye is directed
diagonally under induction head 404 in the path of the moving work
pieces such that the photo eye detects any work pieces under the
sealing head, as illustrated by path 510c in FIG. 8. Preferably,
photo eye 510 also has a gain (sensitivity) adjustment and an
integral LED that illuminates when a work piece is detected by the
photo eye. Assuming such a gain adjustment is present, a work piece
is placed in front of the photo eye and the gain adjustment
configured until the integral LED illuminates.
[0062] Referring now to high/skewed cap sensor 512, this sensor
detects whether a work piece has a skewed cap or a cap that is not
tightened and in this way, enables monitoring system 500 to detect
a high/skewed cap fault condition. As an example, a high/skewed cap
may cause the underlying metallic foil to not contact and thereby
not seal to the opening of a work piece.
[0063] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention,
high/skewed cap sensor 512 is a laser sensor or photo eye. For
description purposes, the laser sensor is described below.
Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B and to FIGS. 9A and 9B (which show an
expanded view of laser sensor 512 from the intake end of system 400
and from the top-side of the sensor, respectively), laser sensor
512 comprises an emitter 512a that emits a beam 512c to a receiver
512b, the emitter and receiver being mounted to a common frame
512f. The sensor is preferably mounted upstream from cap sealer
unit 402 and foil detector 508 to sensor mounting bar 410 using a
mounting clamp 512e that allows the sensor to be positioned along
the mounting bar and also allows the vertical height of the sensor
to be adjusted. The sensor is oriented such that laser beam 512c
projects above and across conveyor belt 406. Preferably, laser
sensor 512 is set at a vertical height above conveyor belt 406 such
that laser beam 512c is approximately {fraction (1/32)}" above a
"tightened" cap of a work piece passing on conveyor belt 406.
[0064] Laser emitter 512a and receiver 512b are connected by two
wires 512d to the connector manifold on cap sealer unit 402, with
one wire powering the emitter and the other wire conveying data
signals from the receiver to controller 502. As a work piece passes
across laser sensor 512, if the cap is skewed or high, it will
break laser beam 512c, thereby causing receiver 512b to send a data
signal to controller 502 and causing the controller to register a
fault condition. On the contrary, if the cap on the work piece is
correctly aligned and tightened, the work piece will pass under
laser beam 512c and no data signal will be sent to the
controller.
[0065] Upon registering that a work piece contains a skewed/high
cap, controller 502 may be configured to cause display system 510
to activate signal generator 540 and/or optical signal generator
542, to flash the fault LED 556a, to display a text message (e.g.,
"ALERT-HIGH/SKEWED CAP") on visual display 552, or some combination
thereof, thereby notifying a system operator of the fault
condition. Preferably, controller 502 is also configured to cause a
fault signal to be generated to rejecter 412 thereby causing the
work piece to be pushed off conveyor belt 406 and onto a rejecter
table 412a. As an alternative to rejecter 412, controller 502 is
preferably configured to cause a fault signal to be generated to
shut-off relay 416, thereby shutting off induction head 404 and
possibly conveyor belt 406.
[0066] In addition, upon registering a skewed/high cap fault
condition, controller 502 may increment a "fault-skewed/high-cap"
counter and/or the "generic-fault" counter. Again, according to the
present invention, a system operator may provide a pre-stored upper
limit of detected skewed/high cap faults. When controller 502
detects the specified number of faults, it may be configured to
cause display system 504 to display a text message (e.g.,
"CONSECUTIVE FAULTS-SKEWED/HIGH CAP") on visual display 552 and
flash fault LED 556a, for example.
[0067] Referring now to work piece temperature sensor 514, this
sensor senses the temperature of a work piece after the work piece
has been heated under induction head 404 and in this way, enables
monitoring system 500 to determine whether a metallic foil has been
properly sealed to a work piece, an improper seal registering a
fault condition. In the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, work piece temperature sensor 514 is a sensor that is
configured and operates as described in co-pending U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 10/859,830 (Attorney Docket No. 2780-98),
filed Jun. 2, 2004, entitled "INDUCTION SEALER SYSTEM WITH
TEMPERATURE SENSOR" by Kenneth J. Herzog, the contents of which are
hereby incorporated by reference.
[0068] As described in that patent application and as illustrated
in FIGS. 4A and 4B, temperature sensor 514 is preferably an
infrared sensor installed downstream from cap sealer unit 402 near
conveyor belt 406 so as to sense the temperature of a work piece
after the work piece has been heated by induction head 404.
Infrared sensor 514 is connected by wire 514a to the connector
manifold on cap sealer unit 402 and in turn, is in communication
with controller 502. As a work piece passes under the infrared
sensor, the sensor takes a temperature reading of the work piece
cap and sends this reading to controller 502. To assess whether a
proper seal has been obtained, controller 502 determines whether
the temperature of the work piece is within a specified range.
Specifically, controller 502 compares the temperature to a high
threshold temperature value and to a low threshold temperature
value (these values are pre-stored parameters of system 500 and can
be set by a system operator). A high threshold temperature value is
indicative of overheating, while a low threshold temperature value
is indicative of under heating, both of which can indicate an
improper seal. When the detected temperature is either below the
low threshold temperature value or above the high threshold
temperature value, controller 502 registers a temperature
fault.
[0069] Upon registering a temperature fault, controller 502 may be
configured to cause display system 510 to activate signal generator
540 and/or optical signal generator 542, to flash the fault LED
556a, to display a text message (e.g., "ALERT-LOW CAP TEMP" or
"ALERT-HIGH CAP TEMP") on visual display 552, or some combination
thereof, thereby notifying a system operator of the fault
condition. Preferably, controller 502 is also configured to cause a
fault signal to be generated to a rejecter 414 thereby causing the
work piece to be pushed off conveyor belt 406 and onto a rejecter
table 414a. As an alternative to rejecter 414, controller 502 is
preferably configured to cause a fault signal to be generated to
shut-off relay 416, thereby shutting off induction head 404 and
possibly conveyor belt 406.
[0070] In addition, upon registering a low temperature or high
temperate fault, controller 502 may increment a "fault-low-temp"
counter or a "fault-high-temp" counter and/or the "generic-fault"
counter. Again, according to the present invention, a system
operator may provide a pre-stored upper limit for each of the low
and high temperature fault counters. When controller 502 detects
the specified number of faults, it may be configured to cause
display system 504 to display a text message (e.g., "CONSECUTIVE
FAULTS--LOW CAP TEMP" or "CONSECUTIVE FAULTS--HIGH CAP TEMP") on
visual display 552 and flash fault LED 556a, for example.
[0071] Referring now to work piece speed sensor 516, this sensor
senses the speed of conveyor belt 406 and in this way, allows
monitoring system 500 to determine whether the conveyor belt is
operating at a speed as configured by a system operator and to
register a fault condition when there is a deviation in this speed.
Specifically, an operator will configure conveyor belt 406 to
operate at a predetermined speed that will cause work pieces to
remain under induction head 404 for a desired time necessary to
obtain good hermetic seal quality. If the conveyor belt speed
deviates from the desired setting, a work piece may spend too much
or too little time under induction head 404, thereby causing an
over or under heating of the work piece. In the preferred
embodiment of the present invention, work piece speed sensor 516 is
a sensor that is configured and operates as described in co-pending
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/860,756 (Attorney Docket No.
2780-103), filed Jun. 2, 2004, entitled "CONVEYOR SPEED MONITOR" by
Kenneth J. Herzog, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by
reference.
[0072] As described in that patent application, speed sensor 516 is
preferably an optical encoder that registers the movement of
conveyer belt 406. Optical encoder 516 is connected by wire 516a to
the connector manifold on cap sealer unit 402 and in turn is in
communication with controller 502. The optical encoder conveys data
representing the conveyor belt movement to controller 502, which
then uses this data to determine the conveyor belt speed.
Thereafter, controller 502 compares the calculated speed to the
predetermined/desired speed as configured by a system operator and
if there is sufficient deviation (e.g., exceeds +/-5% of the
desired speed), the controller registers a conveyor speed fault.
Notably, work piece speed sensor 516 may also be a rotary
wheel/dial that contacts the conveyor belt and spins accordingly.
For each revolution of the dial, the sensor sends a signal to
controller 502, which uses the signal to determine a conveyor
speed, as similarly described in the above application.
[0073] In general, controller 502 may be configured to cause
display system 510 to display the calculated speed of the conveyor
belt on visual display 552. Upon registering a speed fault,
controller 502 may cause display system 510 to activate signal
generator 540 and/or optical signal generator 542, to flash the
fault LED 556a, to display a text message (e.g., "ALERT-CONVEYOR
SPEED") on visual display 552, or some combination thereof, thereby
notifying a system operator of the fault condition.
[0074] Referring now to power sensor 518, this sensor senses the
power drawn by the cap seal system 400 and in particular, by
induction head 404. Preferably, the power sensor is located within
cap sealer unit 402 and is interfaced to the power supply of the
cap sealer system. In the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, power sensor 518 may be a current detector that detects
the current supplied from the power supply to induction head
404.
[0075] Notably, the sealing of each work piece consumes an amount
of power. Accordingly, as the number of work pieces passing under
induction head 404 increases, the power consumed increases
proportionally. For example, as the number of work pieces
increases, and/or the spacing of work pieces decreases, and/or the
speed of conveyor belt 406 increases, more power is demanded by
induction head 404. If the power demanded from induction head 404
exceeds the maximum power that induction head 404 is capable of
providing under a selected power setting as set by an operator, the
quality of the hermetic sealing may be adversely affected due to
insufficient power per work piece. According to one aspect of the
present invention, controller 502 receives from current detector
516 the detected current, which is proportional to the power
supplied to the induction head, and uses the detected current to
visually display, such as on bar graph 558 of user interface 550, a
representation of the power supplied to the induction head. In this
way, a system operator can visually monitor the power consumption
of the induction head and can take appropriate action (e.g.,
increase the power setting) when the power drawn gets close to the
maximum power allowed under the selected power setting.
[0076] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
visual displaying of consumed power by induction head 404 operates
as described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.
10/860,753 (Attorney Docket No. 2780-99), filed Jun. 2, 2004,
entitled "BAR GRAPH" by Kenneth J. Herzog, the contents of which
are hereby incorporated by reference.
[0077] According to another aspect of the present invention,
controller 502 uses the detected current from current detector 516
to detect a loss of sealing power, which can occur when the voltage
supplied to cap sealer system 400 is insufficient for the
requirements of the system and for the selected power level setting
of the induction head. As an example, a defective power supply, a
brownout, or a voltage fluctuation can cause controller 502 to
detect a "sealing-power" fault condition. Controller 502 may also
detect such a fault when there are too many work pieces under
induction head 404 for the available power, similar to above.
[0078] Upon registering a loss of sealing-power fault condition,
controller 502 may be configured to cause display system 510 to
activate signal generator 540 and/or optical signal generator 542,
to illuminate an LED, such as LED 554h, to flash the fault LED
556a, to display a text message (e.g., "ALERT-POWER SUPPLY") on
visual display 552, or some combination thereof, thereby notifying
a system operator of the fault condition. Preferably, controller
502 is also configured to cause a fault signal to be generated to
shut-off relay 416, thereby shutting off induction head 404 and
possibly conveyor belt 406.
[0079] According to another aspect of the present invention,
controller 502 uses the detected current from current detector 516
to detect whether there is a power connection problem to induction
head 404 (referred to as a high impedance fault) or whether the
induction head is requesting more power than what is available from
the power unit (referred to as a low impedance fault), this latter
fault being caused, possibly, from work pieces being too closely
spaced or the speed of the conveyor belt being too fast. Upon
registering either of these faults, controller 502 may be
configured to cause display system 510 to activate signal generator
540 and/or optical signal generator 542, to illuminate an LED, such
as LED 554f, to flash the fault LED 556a, to display a text message
(e.g., "ALERT-HIGH IMPEDANCE" or "ALERT-LOW IMPEDANCE") on visual
display 552, or some combination thereof. Preferably, controller
502 is also configured to cause a fault signal to be generated to
shut-off relay 416.
[0080] Referring now to cap sealer heat sensors 520, these are one
or more temperature sensors within cap sealer unit 402 that sense
the temperature of induction head 404 and/or the internal
temperature of the cap sealer unit 402 and in this way, enable
monitoring system 500 to determine when internal system
temperatures have exceeded normal operating temperatures. When
controller 502 detects an excessive temperature condition as
related to these sensors, it may be configured to cause display
system 510 to activate signal generator 540 and/or optical signal
generator 542, to illuminate an LED, such as LED 554g, to flash the
fault LED 556a, to display a text message (e.g., "ALERT-HEAD
OVERTEMP" or "ALERT-SYSTEM OVERTEMP") on visual display 552, or
some combination thereof. Preferably, controller 502 is also
configured to cause a fault signal to be generated to shut-off
relay 416.
[0081] Referring now to cap sealer guard sensors 522, these are one
or more sensors that detect when safety covers and/guards within
cap sealer unit 402 are open and in this way, enable monitoring
system 500 to notify a system operator that these safety covers and
guards should be closed. Again, when controller 502 detects open
guards or covers as indicated by these sensors, it may be
configured to cause display system 510 to activate signal generator
540 and/or optical signal generator 542, to illuminate an LED, such
as LED 554d/e, to flash the fault LED 556a, to display a text
message (e.g., "ALERT-GUARD OPEN" or "ALERT-COVER OPEN") on visual
display 552, or some combination thereof. Preferably, controller
502 is also configured to cause a fault signal to be generated to
shut-off relay 416.
[0082] Referring now to FIG. 10, there is illustrated an example
functional architecture of monitoring system 500. System 500
comprises one or more microcomputer(s)/microprocessor(s) 1002
interfaced to an electronic memory storage 1004. Notably,
microcomputer(s)/microprocessor(- s) 1002 may be off-the-shelf
general-purpose programmable microcomputer(s)/microprocessor(s)
that are configurable and that have been configured to perform the
functions as described herein. Microcomputer(s)/microprocessor(s)
1002 may also be general-purpose computer(s)/PC(s). Electronic
memory storage 1004 may be standard off-the-shelf memory
modules.
[0083] Processor 1002 is configured to receive data representing
monitored conditions from work piece counter 506, missing foil
sensor 508, stalled bottle sensor 510, high/skewed cap sensor 512,
work piece temperature sensor 514, and work piece speed sensor 516,
and is further configured to process the received data from these
sensors to determine, for example, fault conditions as described
above. As processor 1002 processes received data from the sensors
during the sealing operation, the processor may retrieve one or
more pre-stored parameters from memory 1004 in order to process the
data and may also store parameter values, such as counter values
(e.g., work piece counter value and fault counter values) within
memory 1004.
[0084] With respect to the pre-stored parameters (e.g., fault
counter limits, foil-timer, stalled-timer, temperature ranges,
etc.) of monitoring system 500, these parameters may be specific to
the particular work pieces being sealed and thereby need to be
configured accordingly. In the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, a system operator may use user interface 550, for
example, to enter several sets of pre-stored parameters, each set
for a different work piece type, and to store each set of
parameters as "recipes" in memory storage 1004. Based on the
particular work piece being sealed, a system operator can later
select a corresponding stored recipe prior to the start of the
sealing operation.
[0085] With respect to communications between processor 1002 and
the sensors, processor 1002 may receive data from the sensors
indirectly through memory storage 1004, the data from the sensors
first being conveyed to the memory storage and the processor
retrieving the data therefrom (e.g., temperature sensor 514 may
convey temperature readings to memory 1004). Processor 1002 may
also receive data from the sensors through relays 1006. Here, a
sensor will send an electronic signal (e.g., a current) to an
associated coil that in turn activates a corresponding relay, which
then signals the processor. For example, when photo eye 506 detects
a passing work piece, it may send an electronic signal to a
corresponding photo eye coil, which then activates a relay
associated with the photo eye. As a result of activating the relay,
processor 1002 may increment the "work piece counter".
[0086] System 500 also comprises a display controller 1008 that
controls peripheral devices including user interface 550, audio
signal generator 540, optical signal generator 542, rejecters
412-414, and shut-off relay 416. Processor 1002 is configured to
send signals/data to display controller 1008 and to cause the
display controller to activate any of these peripheral devices as
described above. Processor 1002 may communicate directly with
display controller 1008 or through one or more relays 1010. With
respect to relays 1010, processor 1002 may cause a signal (e.g., a
current) to be sent to a coil that in turn activates a
corresponding relay. The activation of the relay can result in the
activation of one or more of the peripheral devices by display
controller 1008.
[0087] System 500 also comprises a power controller 1012 that
includes power sensor 518. Power controller 1012 and/or processor
1002 may process the power detected by sensor 518 in order to
monitor the power related conditions described above. Notably,
power controller 1012 may be configured to directly send data
signals to display controller 1008 to cause the display controller
to activate the peripheral devices. For example, the power
controller may send signals to the device controller to illuminate
bar graph 558 in relation to the consumption of power by induction
head 404.
[0088] Lastly, regarding cap sealer unit heat sensors 520 and cap
sealer guard sensors 522, these sensors may be configured to
directly send signals to display controller 1012 in order to
activate one or more of the peripheral devices.
[0089] Although the present invention has been described in
relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations
and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those
skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present
invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but
only by the appended claims.
* * * * *